Printing machine

ABSTRACT

An improved machine for printing on sheet material articles with printing plates includes a sheet feed and transport assembly and a plate feed mechanism. The sheet feed and transport assembly includes a conveyor which engages a lowermost edge portion of a sheet material article and moves the article in upright orientation along a horizontal path to a printing station. A removable plate storage drawer holding a series of printing plates is disposed beneath the printing station. The plate feed mechanism removes each printing plate in turn from the drawer and moves it upwardly along a vertical path to an inspection station. The printing plate is then moved downwardly to a printing station where it is utilizeld to print on an upright sheet material article. After the printing operation has been completed, the downward movement of the printing plate is continued and the printing plate is returned to its initial sequential relationship with the other printing plates in the drawer. As the printing plate is being returned to the drawer, the conveyor continues movement of the sheet material article along the horizontal path toward a receiving tray.

United States Patent Deutsch 1 1 Aug. 26, 1975 PRINTING MACHINE [75] inventor: Fritz A. Deutsch, Euclid, Ohio Primary R Fisher Assistant Exammer--W1ll1am Pieprz 1 Assigneer Addressograph Multigraph Attorney, Agent, or FirmRussell L. Root; Ray 5. Pyle Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio [22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1973 211 Appl.No.:327,052 [57] ABSTRACT An improved machine for printing on sheet material 7 271/3 articles with printing plates includes a sheet feed and 353/1 5 transport assembly and a plate feed mechanism. The [51] Int. Cl. B41L 45/02 heet feed and transport assembly includes a conveyor [58] Field Of Search 101/55-57, which engages a lowermost edge portion of a sheet l01/2 9, 72, 7-65, 3, material article and moves the article in upright orien- 27l/3 353/ tation along a horizontal path to a printing station. A 113, I17, 34, 35, 103, 115, 1 removable plate storage drawer holding a series of 1 printing plates is disposed beneath the printing station. The plate feed mechanism removes each printing plate [56] References Cited in turn from the drawer and moves it upwardly along UNITED STATES NTS a vertical path to an inspection station. The printing 2,132,282 10/1938 Ajonclo 101 48 Plate h Fi dowfwardly aPriming Station 2,359,855 10/1944 Gruvcr 101 47 Where it IS t0 1 On an uprlght Sheet mate- 3,053,17s 9/1962 Shepherd 101/53 rial article- After the Priming Operation has been 3,108,801 10/1963 Van Dalen 271/34 pleted, the downward movement of the printing plate 3.125.820 3/1964 ai r h f r--- 53/103 is continued and the printing plate is returned to its 5 1965 353/ 113 initial sequential relationship with the other printing 3,312,162 4/1967 Likens 101/47 plates in the drawer. As the printing plate is being re- 3373'685 3/1968 Adams 101/247 turned to the drawer, the conveyor continues move- 3 91275 7/1971 Badahch et 353/113 ment of the sheet material article along the horizontal 3,598,483 8/1971 Galbraith, Jr..... 353/113 3,793,950 2 1974 Kaneko ct a] 101 132 Path toward a recewmg OTHER PUBLICATIONS Addressograph Reference Book, Class 1900, (1940).

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sum 1 UF 5 Tlllllllllllll iflllllll llllllllllll Ii llll mr alllllllllll llllllIllllllllllllllllllillll lililfllIlllliillllllllllllllillllllllfllllllllllll PATENTEU mszsms 3, 901 ,144 sum 3 or 5 PRINTING MACHINE BACKGROUND The genesis of machine addressing probably is shown in the US. Pat. No. 558,936 issued Apr. 28, 1896 to Joseph S. Duncan, one of the founders of the business later to become the Addressograph Multigraph Corporation. Slow as it was, it provided accurate addressing from fixed plates.

From such start, a sophisticated line of business machines, such for example as the one shown in US. Pat. No. 2,359,850, were developed to do repetition printing of addresses and other fixed information from metal plates stored in a long storage drawer. These machines are designed for long hard service conditions of large mailing demands.

SUMMARY The present invention provided an improved method and apparatus for printing on sheet material articles with printing plates. The printing apparatus is relatively low in cost and simple in its mode of operation. The printing apparatus is portable and can be readily set up at any desired operating location. After a printing operation has been completed, the printing apparatus can be stored until the next time it is to be used.

The improved printing apparatus and method provides for the automatic feeding of sheet material articles in an upright orientation from a supply hopper to a printing station. Printing plates are sequentially removed from a storage drawer or tray and moved to the printing station by a plate feed mechanism. At the end of a printing operation, the addressed envelope or other article is moved to a receiving location and the printing plate is returned to the storage drawer in its initial sequential relationship with the other printing plates.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved printing apparatus which in cludes an article feed assembly which engages a sheet material article and moves it to a printing station with the article in an upright orientation, a plate feed assembly for moving a printing plate to the printing station, and a printing assembly which prints on the upright sheet material article with the printing plate at the printing station.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for printing on sheet material articles at a printing station with printing plates supplied from a storage container and wherein the apparatus includes a plate feed assembly which removes each of the printing plates in turn from a storage container, sequentially moves the printing plates to the printing station, and returns each of the printing plates to the storage container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved method of printing on a surface of planar articles with a printing plate at a printing station and wherein the method includes the steps of moving each of the articles in turn to the printing station in an upright orientation, moving each of the printing plates in turn to the printing station, and transferring data from each of the printing plates to an associated one of the articles with the article in the upright orientation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved method of printing on an article with a printing plate at a printing station and wherein the method includes the steps of moving each of the articles in turn to a printing station, providing a storage container containing a series of printing plates in which each of the printing plates has a predetermined sequential position, engaging each of the printing plates in turn and moving it from the storage container to the printing station, printing on each of the articles in turn with a printing plate at the printing station, and returning each of the printing plates to its sequential position in the series of printing plates in the storage container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a printing apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view, similar to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view, viewed geiierally along the line of 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional view, taken generally along the lines 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic elevational view, generally similar to FIG. 5;

FIG. 7A is a schematic illustration depicting the plate feed mechanism immediately before a printing plate is lifted from a storage drawer by plate feed fingers;

FIG. 7B is a schematic illustration, generally similar to FIG. 7A; and

FIG. 7C is a schematic illustration depicting the plate feed mechanism engaging the next succeeding printing plate in the plate storage drawer.

DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT A printing apparatus 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-4 and includes a sheet material supply hopper 16 in which a plurality of sheet material articles, such as envelopes 18, are stored on edge in an upright orientation. The upright envelopes 18 are transported one at a time from the supply hopper 16 along a horizontal path to a printing station 20 by a sheet feed and transport assembly which includes a conveyor assembly 22 (FIG. 3). Printing plates are moved sequentially along a vertical path from a removable drawer 28 to the printing station 20 by a plate feed mechanism 32 (FIG. 5). During a printing operation, data is transferred from one of the printing plates 26 to one of the envelopes 18 at the printing station 20. As a next succeeding envelope is moved toward the printing station 20 by the conveyor assembly 22, the printed envelope is discharged through an opening 34 to a receiving tray 36 (FIG. 1). While this is occuring, a next succeeding printing plate 26 is moved toward the printing station 20 and the used printing plate is returned to the plate storage drawer 28 by the plate feed mechanism 32. After all of the printing plates 26 have been removed from and returned to the storage drawer 28, the drawer may be removed from a holder 42 and returned to a suitable storage cab inet.

The envelopes 18 are stored in the hopper 16 with their face surfaces extending vertically upright and with their lower edge portions disposed in engagement with a support surface 48 (FIG. 4) which slopes downwardly toward a front control panel 52. When an envelope 18 is to be transferred from the supply hopper 16 to the printing station 20, an intermittent drive assembly 54 is activated by energizing a solenoid 56 for a short time to move a forwardmost one of the envelopes 18 onto a continuously driven conveyor belt 86 which engages the lowermost edge portion of the envelope.

The conveyor belt 86 engages a lower edge of an envelope 18 and transports it tothe printing station 20 with the envelope in an upright position, that is with the opposite face surfaces of the envelope 18 disposed in a vertical orientation. The conveyor belt 86 is continuously driven by pulley 92 to move an envelope supported on a horizontal upper run 94 of the conveyor belt 86 toward the left (as viewed in FIG. 3) from the supply hopper toward the printing station 20.

When the envelope 18 reaches the printing station 20, a leading edge of the envelope is stopped by engagement with a registration nip 100 (FIG. 4) formed by a pair of rollers 102 and 104 in an assembly 106. Engagement of the leading edge of envelope 18 with the nip 100 registers the envelope longitudinally relative to the printing station 20 and holds the envelope stationary so that the upper run 84 of the conveyor belt 86 slides along the lower edge of the upright envelope (FIG.

The envelope 18 remains in the upright orientation at the printing station while data is transferred from a printing plate 26 to the envelope. After this printing operation has taken place, the drive roller 104 is rotated to move the upright envelope 18 through the opening 34 (FIG. 1) into the receiving tray 36. It should be noted that the assembly 106 can be moved, with the conveyor belt 86, from the retracted position shown in FIG. 4 to the extended position shown in FIG. 1 to register different portions of an envelope 18 relative to a printing plate 26 at the printing station 20 or to center envelopes of different lengths.

The specific construction of the conveyor assembly 22 is more fully disclosed and claimed in US application Ser. No. 327,064, filed on Jan. 26, 1973 by Joseph B. Gardner et al, and entitled Form Feed and Transport Assembly. It should be understood that the specific construction of the conveyor assembly 22 is not part of the present invention. However, in accordance with a feature of the present invention, the conveyor assembly 22 transports on edge envelopes along a horizontal path to the printing station 20 with the face surfaces of the envelopes upright. The conveyor assembly 22 supports an envelope as an upright face surface of the envelope is printed on at the printing station 20. The conveyor assembly 22 could be utilized to transport other sheet material articles, such as phamplets, to the printing station 20.

contemporaneously with movement of an envelope 18 to the printing station 20 by the conveyor assembly 22, a printing plate 26 is moved to the printing station 20 by the plate feed mechanism 32 (FIG. 5). The plate feed mechanism 32 includes a front plate feed assembly 120 (FIG. 6) which removes each of the printing plates 26 in turn from the drawer 28 and moves them upwardly toward an inspection station 122. A rear plate feed assembly 126 engages each of the printing plates 26 in turn at the inspection station 122 and moves them downwardly to the printing station 20. After completion of a printing operation in which data is transferred from the printing plate to an envelope 18, the rear plate feed assembly 126 returns the printing plate 26 to the removable storage drawer 28.

It is contemplated that the printing plates 26 will be located in the storage drawer 28 in a predetermined order, such as in either alphabetical or numerical sequence.

For convenience this may be described as a series of plates in the drawer, each having a determinate ordinal position in or relationship to the series. By this is meant a series of plates so related to the drawer that the first plate counting from one end of the drawer is always the first plate from that end, the second is always the second from that end, and so on. While an individual plate may shift somewhat during use so as to occupy a slightly different spacial location in the drawer, the above order relationship is maintained at all times (except while a plate is removed from the drawer for printing), and this meaning is intended to be conveyed by the above language when used hereinafter. To enable this order to be maintained, the printing plates are returned to the drawer 28 to the same ordinal position in the series in which they were disposed prior to being removed from the drawer by the front plate feed assembly 120. This enables the drawer 28 to be removed at any time from the printing apparatus 10 and returned to its storage location with printing plates 26 in their original order in the drawer regardless of what portion of the plates were used in the printing operation.

The front plate feed assembly lifts the printing plates upwardly along a pair of vertical tracks 130 (FIG. 5) which are formed in upright tower side members 132 and 134 (see FIG. 3). Although only one of the tracks 130 in the tower member 134 has been shown, it should be understood that a similar track is formed in the tower member 132 and opens outwardly toward the track 130.

The front plate feed assembly 120 includes a right front feed finger (not shown) and a left front feed finger 138 (see FIG. 5). The left and right front feed fingers are each disposed in a vertical guide track formed in and associated with one of the tower members 132 and 134. The front feed fingers engage the lower edge portion of a printing plate disposed in the drawer 28 (FIG. 6) and are moved upwardly together to raise the printing plate from the storage drawer to an intermediate station 140 and from the intermediate station 140 to the inspection station 122. Similarly the rear plate feed assembly 126 includes a right rear feed finger (not shown) and a left rear feed finger 144 which are slidably disposed in vertical rear tracks in the upright tower members 132 and 134, only the rear track 148 for the left rear feed finger 144 being shown in FIG. 6. The two rear feed fingers push a printing plate vertically downwardly from the inspection station 122 to the printing station 20 and from the printing station 20 back into the plate storage drawer 28. Since the front plate feed assembly 120 moves the printing plates 26 vertically upwardly and the rear plate feed assembly 126 moves the printing plates vertically downwardly, the printing plates move along a substantially vertical path having a vertical front or upward path length and a vertical rear or downward path length.

The front feed finger 138 (FIG. 6) includes a lower end portion 152 which is connected with a main body 154 by a longitudinally extending connector section 156. As the front feed finger 138 is moved downwardly to the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A, the connector section 156 is resiliently deflected rearwardly by engagement of a nose portion 160 with a inner surface 161 of a printing plate 26a (FIG. 7A). As the feed finger 138 moves downwardly, the nose portion 160 slips into a notch formed on the side of the printing plate 26a to securely grip the horizontal lower edge portion of the printing plate.

Contemporaneously with this engagement of the lower end portion 152 of the feed finger 138 with the printing plate 26a, upper end portion 162 of the feed finger 138 moves beneath the horizontal lower edge portion of a printing plate 26b disposed at the intermediate station 140. The upper end portion 162 of the feed finger 138 is connected with the body 154 of the feed finger by a resiliently deflectable connector portion 166. The connector portion 166 is deflected rearwardly by engagement of the upper end portion 162 of the feed finger 138 with the printing plate 26b as the feed finger moves to the pickup position of FIG. 7A.

Upward movement of the front feed finger 138 from the position shown in FIG. 7A to the position shown in FIG. 7B, the front feed finger raises the printing plate 26a from the storage container 28 to the intermediate station 140. As the printing plate 26a moves vertically upward toward the intermediate station 140, it pivots a lever 167 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5) about a support shaft 168 against the influence of a biasing spring 169. After the lower edge of the printing plate 26a has moved upward past the lever 167, the biasing spring 169 moves the lever in counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5) about the support shaft 168. This movement positions the lever 167 beneath the printing plate 26a to block downward movement of the printing plate from the intermediate station 140.

Simultaneously with movement of the printing plate 26a to the intermediate station 140, the printing plate 26b is moved upwardly from the intermediate station 140 (FIG. 7A) to the inspection station 122 (FIG. 7B). As the printing plate 26b moves upwardly toward the inspection station 122, a lever 170 is pivoted in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5) about a support shaft 171 to enable the printing plate 26b to clear an upper end of the lever. As the printing plate 26b moves upwardly past the upper end of the lever 170, it is deposited onto a movable support panel 174 (FIG. 5) at the inspection station 122. The retaining lever 170 is spring biased so that the upper end 172 of the lever moves back into abutting engagement with a stop member 178 as soon as the printing plate 26b has cleared the upper end of the lever. Therefore, the lever 170 engages a lower edge portion of the printing plate 26b and holds it in the position shown in FIG. 7C on the support panel 174 (FIG. 5) at the inspection station 122.

Simultaneously with this vertical movement of printing plates 26a and 26b upwardly to the intermediate station 140 and inspection station 122, preceding printing plates 26c and 26d are moved downwardly by the rear feed fingers. Thus, the rear feed finger 144 engages a printing plate 260 at the inspection station 122 (FIG. 7A) and moves it downwardly to the printing station (see FIG. 7B). As the printing plate 260 is moved to the printing station 20, the printing plate 26d is moved from the printing station 20 (FIG. 7A) to the storage drawer 28 (FIG. 78) by the rear plate feed assembly 126. When the printing plate 26d has been returned to the storage drawer 28, its rear face surface is disposed in abutting planar engagement with the front face surface of the printing plate which immediately precedes it in the series of printing plates in the storage drawer.

To provide for this vertical downward movement of the printing plates 26c and 26d, the rear feed finger 144 includes or upper end portion 186 which engages the horizontal upper edge of the printing plate 26b as the rear feed finger 144 is moved downwardly. Simultaneously therewith, a lower end portion 188 of the rear feed finger engages the horizontal upper edge of the printing plate 260. As the rear feed finger 144 is moved downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 7A to the position shown in FIG. 7B, the upper end portion 186 of the feed finger 144 pivots the support panel 174 (FIG. 5) and printing plate 26c in a counterclockwise direction to move the printing plate 26c into a vertical guide track 194 (see FIG. 5). 7

During this downward movement of the rear feed finger 144, the lower end portion 188 of the feed finger initiates movement of the printing plate 26d downwardly from the printing station 20 against the influence of a spring biased support lever 196 (FIG. 5) which is pivotally supported at 198. Continued downward movement of the rear feed finger 144 moves the printing plate 260 from the inspection station 122 to the printing station 20 and moves the printing plate 26d from the printing station 20 back to the storage drawer 28. As the printing plate 26d clears the support lever 186,'the lever swings back under the influence of a biasing spring 199 to support the printing plate 260. Thus, as the front feed finger 138 is being moved upwardly to lift a printing plate 26a from the storage drawer 28, the rear feed finger 144 is being moved downwardly to return a printing plate 26d to the storage drawer. On the next succeeding return stroke, the lower end portion 152 of the front feed finger moves into engagement with the next printing plate 27 e (FIG. 7C) in the drawer 28.

After the completion of a printing operation with the printing plate 260, the front and rear feed fingers 138 and 144 are moved through vertical feed strokes. This moves the printing plate 26e from the drawer 28 to the intermediate station and returns the used printing plate 26c to the drawer in its initial sequential relationship with the other printing plates in the drawer. Of course, the printing plate 26a is advanced to the inspection station 122 and the printing plate 26b is moved to the printing station 20 as the printing plate 260 is returned to the drawer. In this manner the printing plates 26 are each removed in turn from the drawer 28, advanced to the printing station 20 and returned to the drawer by the operation of the plate feed mechanism 32.

The front and rear feed fingers 138 and 144 are moved up and down together in unison by a feed finger drive assembly 200 (see FIGS. 4 and 6) which is driven by a main drive motor 202 (FIG. 4). The drive assembly 200 includes a cable 206 (see FIG. 6) which is connected to the rear feed finger 144. The rear feed finger 144 is connected to the front feed finger 138 by a cable 208 which extends around an idler pulley 210. A resilient biasing spring 214 (see FIG. 6) is connected to the lower end of the body 154 of the front feed finger 138 and continuously pulls the front feed finger 138 downwardly. This biasing force is transmitted by the cable 208 to the rear feed finger 144 to urge the rear feed finger 144 upwardly in the track 148.

During operation of the drive assembly 200, a crank arm 218 (FIG. 4) pulls the cable 206 around a pulley 222 (FIG. 6) to raise the front feed finger 138 and lower the rear feed finger 144. As the front feed finger 138 is raised, the coil spring 214 is stretched. At the end of an upward stroke of the front feed finger 138 and a downward stroke of the rear feed finger 144, the crank arm 218 releases the cable 206 so that the biasing spring 214 pulls the front feed finger 138 downwardly and the rear feed finger 144 upwardly through return strokes.

Although only the connections between the drive assembly 200 and the left feed fingers 138 and 144 have been shown, it should be understood that the right feed fingers are connected with the crank arm 218 in the same manner. Thus, a cable, similar to the cable 206, extends to the right rear feed finger which is connected with the right front feed finger by a cable, similar to the cable 208. The right front feed finger is urged to the downward position by a coil spring, similar to the spring 214.

The specific construction of the feed fingers 138 and 144, the manner in which they are mounted in the up standing tower member 132 and 134, and the manner in which the drive assembly 200 is connected with the feed fingers is more fully disclosed and claimed in US. application Ser. No. 327,051, filed on Jan. 26, I973, by Gary G. See et al, and entitled Plate Feed Mechanism. The specific construction of the various components of the plate feed mechanism 32 does not per se form a part of the present invention. However, it should be understood that one of the features of the present invention is the provision of a plate feed mechanism which removes each of the printing plates 26 in turn from the plate storage drawer 28, moves the printing plate to the printing station along a vertical path having a front portion along which the plates are moved vertically upwardly and a rear portion along which the plates are moved vertically downwardly. Another feature of the present invention is the fact that the plate feed mechanism 32 returns each of the printing plates in turn to the plate storage drawer 28 with the printing plate in its original position relative to the other printing plates in the drawer so that the original sequencing or series relationship between the printing plates is maintained after each of the printing plates in turn has been removed from the storage drawer 28, moved to the printing station 20, and returned to the storage drawer.

Each time a printing plate 26 is removed from the storage drawer 28, the storage drawer is moved rearwardly, that is toward the right as viewed in FIG. 5, to move a next succeeding printing plate into position to be engaged by the plate feed mechanism 32 during the next cycle of operation of the plate feed mechanism. To provide for this rearward or inward movement of the plate storage drawer 28, the drawer is disposed in the movable holder assembly 42 which is continuously urged inwardly by an indexing spring 224 (FIG. 5). The indexing spring 224 is connected to a longitudinally extending frame member 226 of the holder assembly 42. The indexing spring 224 is of the negator type so that a continuous rearward biasing force of a substantially constant magnitude is applied to the holder assembly 42 bythe indexing spring 224 as the drawer 28 and holder assembly are moved rearwardly.

Each time a printing plate 26 is removed from the drawer 28, a packing or indexing assembly 230 (FIG. 5) releases the drawer 28 for inward movement through a distance equal to the thickness of a printing plate. This moves the next succeeding printing plate into vertical alignment with the front feed finger assembly so that upon the next downward stroke of the front feed finger assembly the lower end portion 152 of the feed finger will engage the next succeeding printing plate. In addition, this indexing movement of the drawer 28 enables a used printing plate to be returned to the drawer from the printing station 20 by the rear feed finger assembly 126. v

The indexing assembly 230 (FIG. 5) includes a front or leading indexing member 234 which engages the rearward or inner face of the next printing plate 26 to be fed from the drawer 28. The inner side of the indexing member 234 abuttingly engages a stop member 244 to hold the drawer 28 and holder assembly 42 against rearward movement under the influence of the indexing spring 224. However, as soon as the plate feed mechanism 32 removes a printing plate from the drawer 28, the space created by the removal of the printing plate enables the indexing spring 224 to pull the drawer rearwardly against the forward surface 238 of the indexing lever 234. It should be noted that the indexing lever 234 is pivotally mounted on the support shaft 168 so that the indexing lever is free to pivot in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5) away from the stop member 244. This enables the indexing member 234 to be swung in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5) and out of the printing plate storage drawer 28 as the storage drawer is removed from the printing apparatus 10.

The printing plates 26 which have been returned to the plate storage drawer 28 are biased rearwardly by a retaining member 248 of the packing assembly 230 (FIG. 5). The retaining member 248 is pivotally mounted on the support shaft 168 with the indexing member 234. The retaining member 248 is biased rearwardly (that is in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5) under the influence of a biasing spring 250 which extends from the retaining member 248 to a connection on the indexing member 234. The biasing spring 250 urges the retaining -member 248 rearwardly with sufficient force to hold the printing plates 26 which have been returned to the drawer 28 in the upright position of FIG. 5. The stop block 244 has a relatively short axial extent and the retaining member 248 is disposed outwardly of the stop block. This enables the retaining member 248 to be pivoted in a clockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 5 as the drawer 28 is removed from the printing apparatus 10. The drawer 28 is removed from the printing apparatus 10 by withdrawing the holder assembly 42 against the influence of the indexing spring 224.

A printing assembly 260 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) at the printing station 20 prints on each of envelopes 18 in turn with a different one of the printing plates 26 between operating cycles of the plate feed mechanism 32. The printing assembly 260 includes a roller platen 262 which is reciprocated from right to left (as viewed in FIG. 4) along a support rod 264 to move an impression roller 266 through a printing stroke across an anvil 270. The printing plate at the printing station 20 is disposed between the anvil 270 and a printing ribbon 274. Upon movement of the printing roller 266 from right to left (as viewed in FIG. 4) the roller presses an envelope 18 against the ribbon 274, printing plate 26, and anvil 270 to imprint data on the envelope 18 in a known manner (see FIG. 5). w

Once the printing platen 262 reaches the end of its leftward stroke (as viewed in FIG. 4) the printing roller 266 is toggled to a'retracted position and the printing platen 260 is moved fromvthe left to right during a return stroke in which the printing roller is spaced from the envelope 18. During this return stroke, the drive roller 104 in the form stop and exit control assembly is rotated at a relatively high speed to accelerate the printed envelope away from. the printing station 20 through the exit opening 38 and into the receiving tray 36. As the printed envelopepis'moved away from the printing station 20, a next succeeding envelope 18 is moved toward the printing station'by the conveyor assembly 22. In addition, the plate feed mechanism-32 is activated to move a next succeeding printing plate 26 to the printing station. v 1

The printing plate 260 is reciprocated back and forth through printing'and return strokes by a printing drive assembly 278 (FIG. 4) .which-is, connected with the printing platen 260 by suitable cables 280. The printing drive mechanism 278iis driven by the main motor 202. Since both the printing drive -mechanism 278 and the plate feed mechanism 32 are powered by. the motor 202, the maintaining of these tow mechanisms in synchronism with each other is facilitated.

The construction of the printing .platen 260 and platen drive 278- is morefully described and claimed in copending applicationSer. No. 447,234, filed on Mar. 6, 1974, by Gary GI-See,-' and entitled Platen Alignment Control. Although the specific construction of the printing assembly 260 does not, per se, form a part of the present invention,it is believed that the printing assembly disclosed in "the aforementioned application is particularly well 'suited for use in the printing apparatus 10. However,- it should be understood that other suitable known printingassemblies'could, if desired, be

utilized. i

Each time the printing platen 262 is moved through a printing stroke, a ribbon indexing assembly 290 is activated to index the ribbon- 274 relative to the anvil 270. The ribbon indexing assembly 290 is of a known construction" and indexes the ribbon 274-through equal increments each time the assembly is activated. Activation of the ribbon indexing assembly 290 removes ribbon from a supply reel or spool 292.

When the printing apparatus is to be operated, a tray of drawer 28 of printing plates 26 is removed from a suitable storage location and manually carried to the printing apparatus 10. The holder 42 is then withdrawn by pulling it outwardly against the influence of the indexing spring 224. The drawer 28 is then deposited in the holder 42with the. packing or indexing assembly 230 between the backof the drawer and the rearward most printing plate 2 6."The drawer holder 42 is released and the spring '224 pulls the drawer 28 and holder 42 rearwardly so that the rearward face surface of the innermost printing plate 26 is disposed in abutting engagement with the surface 238 of the indexing arm 234. This plate isthen properly aligned for engagement by the front'feed fingers of the plate feed mechanism 32. i A

A plate feed switch on 'the control panel 52 is then i actuated to activate the plate feed mechanism 32 and lift a first printing plate 26 vertically upwardly from the drawer 28 to the intermediate station 140. When this occurs, the spring 224 moves the drawer 28 and holder 42 rearwardly to position the next succeeding printing plate 26 for engagement by the plate feed mechanism 32. When the plate feed switch on the control panel 52 is again depressed, the plate feed mechanism 32 moves the first printing plate up to the inspection station 122 and the next succeeding printing plate up to the intermediate station 140. When the first printing plate is disposed at the inspection station 122, it is illuminated by a suitable light 298 and is clearly visible to an operator of the printing apparatus 10. If the operator does not desire to print with this printing plate, he may subsequently depress a skip button on the control panel 52 so that the printing assembly 260 is not activated when that printing plate is at the printing station 20.

Assuming that the printing plate at the inspection station 122 is to be utilized to imprint data onto an envelope 18 at the printing station 20, the plate feed mechanism 32 moves the printing plate from the inspection station 122 to the printing station 20 the next time the plate feed button is depressed. When this occurs, automatic operation of the printing apparatus 10 is initiated. During each cycle of operation, a printing plate is lifted from the plate storage drawer 28 and started 7 along the vertical path to the printing station 20. Also, on each cycle of each operation of the apparatus 10, the conveyor assembly 22 moves an envelope 18 from the storage hopper 16 to the printing station 20. As soon as a printing operation has been performed at the printing station 20 to transfer data from a printing plate 26 to the envelope 18, the envelope is moved further along its horizontal path and through the exit opening 34 by the form stop and exit control assembly 106. At the same time, the used printing plate is moved vertically downwardly from the printing station 20 and returned to the drawer 28 by the plate feed mechanism 32. While one printing plate is being returned to the drawer 28, a next succeeding printing plate is moved to the printing station 20 and another printing plate is removed from the drawer 28. I

The printing apparatus 20 includes control circuitry constructed in the manner disclosed and claimed in U.S. Application Ser. No. 326,920, filed on Jan. 26,

' 1973, by Manoj C. Adhikari, entitled Printing Apparatus Controls. Although the controls disclosed in the aforementioned application are believed to be particularly advantageous for use in the printing apparatus 10, it should be understood that other suitable controls could be used and that the present invention is not to be limited to any specific type of controls.

In view of the foregoing description, it can be seen that the printing apparatus 10 includes a form feed transport assembly 22 which engages the bottom edge of an envelope l8 and is operable to move this envelope in an upright or an edge orientation from a storage hopper 16 along a horizontal path to a printing station 20. The printing assembly 260 transmits data from a printing plate 26 to a vertically disposed face surface of the envelope is supported in the on edge position at the printing station by the conveyor assembly 22. Once the printing operation has been completed, movement of the printed envelope 18 along its horizontal path is continued by the assembly 106 to move the printed envelope into a receiving tray or hopper 36.

As each envelope 18 is moved in turn along a horizontal path to the printing station 20, the plate feed mechanism 32 removes a printing plate 26 from a plate storage drawer 28 which is disposed beneath the printing station 20 and the horizontal path along which the envelopes 18 are transported by the conveyor assembly 22. The plate feed mechanism moves each of the printing plates in turn upwardly along a vertical path length to an inspection station 122 where an operator can inspect each of the printing plates in turn. The plate feed mechanism then moves the printing plate downwardly along a vertical path from the plate feed station 122 to the printing station 20.

Once the printing assembly 260 has been operated to imprint data from a printing plate 26 to an envelope 18, the plate feed mechanism 32 transfers the printing plate back to the storage drawer 28. The printing plate is deposited in the storage drawer 28 in the same determined ordinal position which it originally had with the other printing plates in the drawer. By depositing the printing plate back in the drawer 28 in the same deter- .mined ordinal position relative to the other printing plates, the printing plates can be maintained in a desired numerical or alphabetical sequence relative to each other.

Once the lasting printing plate has been returned to the drawer 28, the drawer holder 42 and drawer 28 are pulled outwardly. During this outward movement of the drawer 28, the packing assembly 230 is pivoted in a clockwise direction about its support shaft 168 to enable the drawer to be freely withdrawn. The drawer 28 is then returned to its storage location with the printing plates 26 in the same sequential relationship in the drawer 28 as the printing plates had when the drawer was initially removed from the storage location. Another drawer can then be removed from the storage location and the entire process repeated to print envelopes with the data on the printing plates in the second drawer.

Although the former conveyor assembly, 22 plate feed mechanism 32, printing assembly 260, and their associated control circuitry are shown herein as having a particular construction, the specific construction of these items does not per se form part of the present invention. The present invention relates to the manner in which these various assemblies and mechanisms are combined to feed sheet material items to and from a printing station. Accordingly, it is anticipated that the specific construction of each of these various assemblies and mechanisms could be varied somewhat without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should be also understood that although the printing apparatus has been described herein as addressing envelopes, it is contemplated that the printing apparatus will be utilized to print on other types of sheet material articles.

Having described a specific preferred embodiment of the invention, the following is claimed:

1. A printing apparatus for printing on the faces of planar articles formed of sheet material with planar printing plates, said printing apparatus comprising a printing station, article storage means for storing a plurality of the planar articles in an on-edge orientation, article means for receiving articles which have been printed at said printing station, article feed means for transporting planar articles from said article storage means to said printing station along an article feed path and for continuing movement of articles from said printing station along the article feed path to said article receiving means with the articles in an on-edge orientation, said article feed means including drive means for engaging at a lowermost edge portion of a planar article at said article storage means and for moving the planar article to and from said printing station with the side surface of the planar article in an upright position, holder means disposed beneath said printing station for releasably holding a removable storage container in which a series of printing plates are disposed with each printing plate in a determinate ordinal position in the series of printing plates, an inspection station disposed above said holder means, plate feed means for moving printing plates along a plate feed path extending from said storage container to said inspection station, from said inspection station to said printing station, and from said printing station back to said storage container, said plate feed means including means for engaging a printing plate in the storage container, for removing the printing plate from the storage container, for moving the printing plate upwardly along the path to said inspection and printing stations, and for returning the printing plate downwardly to its determinate ordinal position in the series of printing plates in the storage container, and printing for effecting a transmittal of data from a printing plate to the side surface of a planar article with the planar article in an on-edge orientation at said printing station.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including wall means partially enclosing said printing station and defining an outlet opening through which articles are moved from said printing station to said article receiving means in an edge orientation by said article feed means.

3. A printing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including biasing means for applying a biasing force to said holder means urging said holder means in a direction substantially perpendicular to said article and plate feed paths, and means for enabling said holder means and storage container to move through a distance which is at least as great as the thickness of a printing plate under the influence of said biasing means upon removal of a printing plate from the storage container by said plate feed means.

4. A printing apparatus for printing with independent planar printing plates on faces of planar articles formed of sheet material, said printing apparatus comprising a printing station, article feed means for transporting planar articles edgewise in a generally horizontal direction to said printing station in an on-edge orientation with the faces of the planar article in an upright position, means for stopping each article in the printing station and then moving the article away from the printing station in a continuation of said original horizontal direction, a plate storage container for storing said plates on edge in a substantially horizontal array beneath said printing station; plate feed means for moving printing plates generally edgewise and vertically, one by one, from said container to said printing station and positioning the same to occupy a face-to-face relationship each with one of said planar articles and then moving them back to said container, an inspection station located above the printing station, said plate feed means including means for moving a printing plate first to said inspection station and for moving a printing plate downwardly from said inspection station to said printing station, and platen means for effecting a pressure transmittal of data from a printing plate to the face of a planar article while both are at rest in an on-edge ori entation at said printing station.

5. A printingapparatus for sequentially printing with major face surlaces of printing plates on planar major face surfaces of articles formed of sheet material, said apparatus comprising a printing section, hopper means disposed to one side of said printing station for holding a plurality of planar sheet material articles in an onedge orientation, article feed means for transporting each ofthe sheet material articles in turn along a gener ally horizontal path to said printing station with the articles in an on-edge orientation and with major face surfaces of the articles in an upright position, said feed means including means for engaging a lowermost edge portion of the on-cdge article to support the on edge article at said printing station a removable plate storage container disposed beneath said printing station and containing a series of on-edge printing plates disposed in a predetermined sequence and in a substantially hor' izontal array with the major face surfaces of the printing plates in an upright side-by-side relationship, plate feed means for removing each of the printing plates in turn from its predetermined ordinal position in said se ries of on-edge printing plates, said plate feed means including means for moving each printing plate in turn vertically from said plate storage container toward said printing station with the major face surface of the printing plate in an upright orientation and for positioning each printing plate in turn at said printing station in a face-to-face relationship with an upright major side surface of an associated one of said sheet material articles, platen means disposed at said printing station for effecting the transmittal of data from the upright major surface of an on-edge printing plate to the upright major face surface of an on-edge sheet material article, and means for effecting movement of an on edge sheet material article away from said printing station along said horizontal path in a direction away from said hopper means after said platen means has effected the transmittal of data to the sheet material article, said plate feed means including means for moving each onedge printing plate in turn downwardly from said printing station hack to its predetermined ordinal position in the horizontal array ofon-edge printing plates in said plate storage container after said platen means has effected the transmittal of data from the printing plate to one of said sheet material articles. 

1. A printing apparatus for printing on the faces of planar articles formed of sheet mAterial with planar printing plates, said printing apparatus comprising a printing station, article storage means for storing a plurality of the planar articles in an on-edge orientation, article means for receiving articles which have been printed at said printing station, article feed means for transporting planar articles from said article storage means to said printing station along an article feed path and for continuing movement of articles from said printing station along the article feed path to said article receiving means with the articles in an on-edge orientation, said article feed means including drive means for engaging at a lowermost edge portion of a planar article at said article storage means and for moving the planar article to and from said printing station with the side surface of the planar article in an upright position, holder means disposed beneath said printing station for releasably holding a removable storage container in which a series of printing plates are disposed with each printing plate in a determinate ordinal position in the series of printing plates, an inspection station disposed above said holder means, plate feed means for moving printing plates along a plate feed path extending from said storage container to said inspection station, from said inspection station to said printing station, and from said printing station back to said storage container, said plate feed means including means for engaging a printing plate in the storage container, for removing the printing plate from the storage container, for moving the printing plate upwardly along the path to said inspection and printing stations, and for returning the printing plate downwardly to its determinate ordinal position in the series of printing plates in the storage container, and printing for effecting a transmittal of data from a printing plate to the side surface of a planar article with the planar article in an on-edge orientation at said printing station.
 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including wall means partially enclosing said printing station and defining an outlet opening through which articles are moved from said printing station to said article receiving means in an edge orientation by said article feed means.
 3. A printing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including biasing means for applying a biasing force to said holder means urging said holder means in a direction substantially perpendicular to said article and plate feed paths, and means for enabling said holder means and storage container to move through a distance which is at least as great as the thickness of a printing plate under the influence of said biasing means upon removal of a printing plate from the storage container by said plate feed means.
 4. A printing apparatus for printing with independent planar printing plates on faces of planar articles formed of sheet material, said printing apparatus comprising a printing station, article feed means for transporting planar articles edgewise in a generally horizontal direction to said printing station in an on-edge orientation with the faces of the planar article in an upright position, means for stopping each article in the printing station and then moving the article away from the printing station in a continuation of said original horizontal direction, a plate storage container for storing said plates on edge in a substantially horizontal array beneath said printing station; plate feed means for moving printing plates generally edgewise and vertically, one by one, from said container to said printing station and positioning the same to occupy a face-to-face relationship each with one of said planar articles and then moving them back to said container, an inspection station located above the printing station, said plate feed means including means for moving a printing plate first to said inspection station and for moving a printing plate downwardly from said inspection station to said printing station, and plateN means for effecting a pressure transmittal of data from a printing plate to the face of a planar article while both are at rest in an on-edge orientation at said printing station.
 5. A printing apparatus for sequentially printing with major face surfaces of printing plates on planar major face surfaces of articles formed of sheet material, said apparatus comprising a printing section, hopper means disposed to one side of said printing station for holding a plurality of planar sheet material articles in an on-edge orientation, article feed means for transporting each of the sheet material articles in turn along a generally horizontal path to said printing station with the articles in an on-edge orientation and with major face surfaces of the articles in an upright position, said feed means including means for engaging a lowermost edge portion of the on-edge article to support the on-edge article at said printing station a removable plate storage container disposed beneath said printing station and containing a series of on-edge printing plates disposed in a predetermined sequence and in a substantially horizontal array with the major face surfaces of the printing plates in an upright side-by-side relationship, plate feed means for removing each of the printing plates in turn from its predetermined ordinal position in said series of on-edge printing plates, said plate feed means including means for moving each printing plate in turn vertically from said plate storage container toward said printing station with the major face surface of the printing plate in an upright orientation and for positioning each printing plate in turn at said printing station in a face-to-face relationship with an upright major side surface of an associated one of said sheet material articles, platen means disposed at said printing station for effecting the transmittal of data from the upright major surface of an on-edge printing plate to the upright major face surface of an on-edge sheet material article, and means for effecting movement of an on-edge sheet material article away from said printing station along said horizontal path in a direction away from said hopper means after said platen means has effected the transmittal of data to the sheet material article, said plate feed means including means for moving each on-edge printing plate in turn downwardly from said printing station back to its predetermined ordinal position in the horizontal array of on-edge printing plates in said plate storage container after said platen means has effected the transmittal of data from the printing plate to one of said sheet material articles. 